Window washing and cleaning apparatus



April 20, 1965 M. GOLDBERG ETAL 3,173,750

WINDOW WASHING AND CLEANING APPARATUS .2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 28, 1964 INVENTORE Lev) 605128529 PEN/NH 5):!

April 20, 1965 M. L. GOLDBERG ETAL 3,178,750

WINDOW WASHING AND CLEANING APPARATUS .2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 28, 1964 m T N E V m United States Patent 3,178,750 WINDOW WASHING AND CLEANING APPARATUS Moise Levy Goldberg, 224 W. 98th St, Apt. 413, and Penina Samely, 360 W. 55th St., Apt. 3R, both of New York, NY.

Filed Jan. 28, 1964, Ser. No. 340,716 11 Claims. (Cl. -250.]11)

"thereto, throughout the washing and cleaning operation,

to thereby render the apparatus highly efficient and effective for its purposes.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide window washing and cleaning apparatus, of the character described, which has means, likewise operable from the interior of a structure, for applying a dirt-loosening, pane washing liquid against the exterior of the pane being cleaned.

It is another object of the present invention to provide window washing and cleaning apparatus of the character described, which may be used for washing and cleaning window panes of different sizes and whose washing and cleaning elements may both be easily and conveniently moved, both vertically and laterally, to enable the washing and cleaning of window panes of both large and small size, regardless of their location in the sash of the window.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide Window washing and cleaning apparatus, of the character described, which may be operated and used with maximum ease, comfort, convenience, and safety and with a minimum of physical effort and exertion.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide apparatus of the character described which may be manually operated but may be easily and readily converted for motorized or pneumatic operation.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide I window washing and cleaning apparatus, of the character its use; and which is relatively economical to produce.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the window washing and cleaning apparatus of the present invention will become more readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the embodiment thereof shown in the accompanying drawings, and from the description following. It is to be understood, however, that such embodiment is by way of illustration only, to make the principles and practice of the invention more readily comprehensible and without any intent of limiting the invention to the specific details therein shown.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an elevational and partly sectional view of one embodiment of window washing and cleaning apparatus of the invention shown as mounted on the sash of a window, in readiness for use; the portion in solid lines indicating the position of the apparatus at one end of a reciprocal cleaning stroke; the broken lines indicating its position at the other end of the stroke;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, perspective view of the squee- "ice gee of the apparatus, as viewed from its underside, illustrating the fluid-applying means associated therewith;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view, partly in section, of the apparatus, as illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, perspective view of the sashclamping stand of the apparatus; foreshortened to indicate indeterminate length;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, perspective view on an enlarged scale, of the mounting and stroke-guiding section of the apparatus, shown in position ready for securing to the base of a stand therefor; and

FIG. 6 is a section taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 2.

Referring now, in greater detail, to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, the same is shown to comprise a stand, generally designated as 10, adapted to rest on the sill 11, of a window to be cleaned and to be clamped to the bottom side of the sash of such window. The stand is shown to comprise two pairs of legs, 12, hingedly supported on a horizontal rod, 14; each leg 12 having a clamp end portion, 16, extending above the rod 14; each pair of legs being provided with means, such as a torsion spring 18, that spreads the legs 12 apart and presses their clamp ends 16 toward one another. Rubber sleeves, 29, may be mounted over the ends of the legs 12 and over their clamp ends 16.

The apparatus of the invention also comprises an operating cleaning and washing structure adapted to be supported from the rod 14. Such structure is shown to comprise a platform, 22, adapted to be supported in suspended rotatable and axially translatable relation on the rod 14, as by means of open hooks, 24, preferably struck out therefrom which may be engaged over the rod 14, and captively secured thereover by means of a blocking latch 26, secured on platform 22, that may .be moved against the rod 14 to selectively effectively close the open ends of the hooks and thus lock the platform 22 in place on the rod 14. The hooks 24 on the platform 22 are so arranged that when suspended from the rod 14 when the stand 10 is clamped on the bottom side of the sash, 28, of a window (FIG. 1) a portion thereof will project outwardly of the window and another portion will project inwardly therefrom. The outer end of the platform 22 is provided with a downwardly-offset flange, 36 at whose side edges may be provided a pair of spaced outwardly-offset ears, 32, and at the center of which is provided a vertical guide slot, 34, which receives and reciprocably slidably guides an operating rod, 36.

Supported between the platform 30 and the outer end of the operating rod 36 is a vertically extensible and contractible pantograph arm, generally designated as 4i). The movable (translatable) rotatable lower link, 42, of the pantograph arm is pivoted by its outer end on the end of rod 36. The stationary rotatable lower pantograph link, 44, is, preferably for purposes of stability and rigidity during extension and contraction of the pantograph, formed of two bars, 44a and 44b, which are connected at their outer ends and diverge inwardly, where their ends are each pivotally secured on a different one of the cars 32 of the platform flange 30. Links 42 and 44 are pivotally interengaged at their centres, as is conventional, preferably by an eyelet rivet, 46, for a purpose which will hereafter be made clear.

The outer end of pantograph link 44 has pivotally connected thereto one end of an inwardly extending link, 48, of full length. The inner end of link 42 has pivotally connected thereto the inner end of a second upper link, 54?, of a length shorter than link 44. The link 54 is pivoted on link 43, on center with pivot 46, preferably also by an eyelet rivet 52. Link 50, whose outer end extends a short distance beyond pivot 52, has pivoted on its outer end, as at 54, an inwardly and upwardly extending link, 56, which is approximately equal in length to the inner half of link 48 and is substantially parallel thereto, to form a double half link. An additionally inwardly downwardly disposed link, 58, is pivoted by its outer end i on the inner end of link 56 and intermediate its ends on the inner end of link 48 to form a parallel motion linkage at the upper end of, the pantograph. The link 48 carries on its inner end a pane engaging member, generally designated as 60 and illustrated as being in the form of a squeegee, shown to comprise a U-shaped clamp portion, 62, disposed in a horizontal plane that is perpendicular to the plane of the pantograph 4d. The clamp portion 62 is shown to grip between its arms a wiper blade, 64, which may be made of rubber or similar flexible material. It may be stated, however, that instead of a Wiper blade, a sponge or brush bristles may be substituted.

The clamp 62 of the squeegee 60 has a closedended' trough, 66, formed on its lower side, intermediate its ends, in whose pane facing sidethere is provided a plurality of tiny. outlets, 68, for the discharge of fluid against a pane. The trough 66 has an inlet opening formed therein whichis connected by a conduit, 70, preferably in the form of a flexible plastic tube, to a tubular'coupling, 72, mounted on platform 22, inwardly of hooks 24. To prevent loosening and tightening of the tube 70 during the reciprocation of the pantograph, it is threaded through the eyelet rivets 46, 71 and 52, and then through suitable openings, 74 and 76', formed in the flange 30' and platform 22, respectively. The coupling 72 is adapted to receive, in fluid-tight relation, a nozzle, 78, set into one 72 and squeeze the bulb, to thereby discharge the fluid J through the outlets 68 in the squeegee clamp 62 against clean and dry it. The squeegee 60 may be of relatively short length, to fit against small panes and it may be moved laterally by sliding of the platform 22 laterally over the rod 14, to reach every part ofthe width of a a window.

end of a squeeze bulb, 80, having a one-way air inlet valve, 82, at its other end. A one-way fluid outlet valve- 83 is disposed within the coupling 72 to allow washing fluid to flow outwardly only from the bulb to the tube 70.

The platform 22 is provided with another dependent flange, 84, at its inner end, which has a slot aligned with slot 34 through which the operating rod 36 may be extended and guide. The operating rod 36 may be provided on its room end portion projecting from the inner flange 84, with a fixed collar, 86, and may have mounted thereover between the collar 86 and the flange 84, a snubbing spring, 88. The operating arm may also be provided with an operating handle 90, at its inner end, preferably extending slightly diagonally upwardly therefrom and preferably enclosed within a soft-walled sleeve. To

. facilitate movement of the rod 36, bearings, 92, may be mounted on the underside ofplatform 22 and similar bearings, 94, on the facing sides of flanges and 84' opposite the bottoms of the guide slots formed therein.

If desired the operating rod 36 may beconnected, for automatic operation, to a reciprocating mechanism actuated by an electric motor or to an air cylinder, in a manner that will readily be apparent to anyone skilled in the art.

Having described the construction of the apparatus of the invention, the manner in which it is used will now be explained:

The stand 10 is clamped on the bottom 'side'28 of a window sash, which has previously been disposed a distance above the sill 11 of the Window which is to be cleaned. The pantograph 40, in collapsed state, is then inserted into the opening between the Window sill 11 and the window sash 28, between thelegs 12 of the stand 10, and the hooks 24 of the platform 22, engaged over the rod 14 of the stand 10 and locked'in place thereover by the latch 26. The window sash is then lowered until.

the feet 12 of the. stand rest on the window sill. The platform 22 may then be tilted by the operator. to ensure that the squeegee 66 is disposed against the outer: surface of the window pane 98. The operator may then pull the operating rod inwardly to elevate the squeegee to the upper end' of the pane to be cleaned. The operator may then fill the bulb 80' with a liquid, such as detergent containing water or other window cleaning fluid, from any sour e, and insert its nipple 78 into the coupling tograph is in extended or contracted state, without If desired, a cable or cord, 96, as of flexible plastic, may be attached, preferably to the flange 30 of the plat: form 22, whose other end may be secured to a fixture or article within the structure embodying the window cleaned, to prevent inadvertent displacement or dropping of the apparatus on the exterior of the structure. A similar cord 96 is attached to the stand ltl'at a leg 12.

This completes'the description of the window-washing and cleaning apparatus of the present invention and the manner in which it may be used. It will be readily apparent that by reason of the parallel top linkage on the pantograph of the apparatus, the squeegee will not only move at all times in a straight line, parallel to the line connecting the center pivots of the pantograph links and parallel to the surface to be cleaned, but will also remain at a constant angle to-the surface cleaned, for most effective cleaning thereof.

It will also be apparent that because of the inwardly divergent double-bar structure of the bottom pantograph link 44 the pantograph will remain in firm, erect positionv at all times during its operation.

It will likewise be apparent that, because of the eyeletted center pivots 46 and 52 of the pantograph links through which the flexible fluid conduit 70 is threaded, the length of the conduit 70 is constant, whether the panhaving any sagging portion to be snagged.

It will be further apparent that the apparatus of the 'invention is easy and convenient to operate and control,

and that when not in use, it may, by disassembling of the stand from the operating structure and by collapsing of the pantograph, be compactly disposed for storage and transportation.

It will be still further apparent that numerous variations and modifications of the window-washing and cleaning apparatus of the present invention may be made by anyone skilled in the art, in accordance with the principles of the invention he'reinabove set forth, and without the exercise of any inventive ingenuity. We desire, therefore, that protection of the patent laws for any and all such modifications and variations that may be made within the spirit of the' invention and the scope of the claims hereto appended.

What we claim is:

1. Window-cleaning apparatus of the character 'described, comprising a pantograph formed of a plurality of pairs of links, the links of each said pair pivotally connected to one another at the center and pivotally connected by their ends to the end of a link of. another of said pair of links, an operating rod, means supporting and guiding said operating rod for reciprocal movement, said rod projecting from each end of, said supporting and guiding means, said pantograph pivotally secured by the free end of one link of one of the outermostof said pair of links to one end of said operating rod, the other link of said 'oneoutermost pair of links pivotally secured by its .free end to said operating rod supporting and guiding means, a squeegee, an arm pivotally supporting said squeegee on the free end of one of the links ofthe other outermost pair of links in a plane transverse to the plane of said pantograph and at right angles thereto and means 2. The apparatus of claim 1, including means releasably connectable to said operating rod supporting and guiding means, releasably securable to a side of a window sash for supporting said apparatus from said window sash.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said operating rod supporting and guiding means includes a platform, and said means releasably connectable to the sash of the window, comprises an elongated rod, a pair of legs supported on said rod adjacent each end thereof, each said leg having a clamp extension, the extensions of each of said pair of legs adapted to receive the side of a window sash between them, and means resiliently pressing each of said clamp extensions of each of said pairs of legs toward one another, said platform having means provided thereon releasably engageable to said rod and slidably movable therealong.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the other link of said one pair of links comprises a pair of bars each pivotally secured by one end to said operating rod supporting and guiding means in spaced relation to one another and converging toward the other end.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the operating rod guiding and supporting means comprises an elongated plate having dependent flanges at two opposed edges thereof, said flanges having registering openings formed therein, said operating rod slidably supported within said openings.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein one of said flanges is provided with outwardly oifset ears at each of its edges, and wherein the other link of said one outermost pair of links comprises a pair of bars each secured by one end to one of said ears, said bars converging towards their other ends.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said arm supporting said squeegee is pivotally supported intermediate its ends on the free end of one of the links of the other outermost pair of links, said squeegee connected to one of the ends of said arm, and wherein the means maintaining said arm at a constant angle comprises a link pivotally connected at one end to the other end of said arm and by its other end to the other link of said other outermost pair of links in substantially parallel relation to said one link of said other outermost pair of links.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said squeegee includes a bar and a wiping strip secured to said bar, said bar having a closed ended tubular recess provided in its underside, said tubular recess having a plurality of spaced outlet openings formed in the wall thereof facing said wiping strip, a tubular conduit connected at one end with the interior of said recess, a tubular coupling mounted on said operating rod supporting and guiding means, said conduit connected by its other end to said coupling and a squeeze bulb having a one-way air inlet valve at one end and an outlet nozzle at its opposed end removably counectable by said nozzle with said coupling in air tight relation therewith.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein each of said pair of links are pivotally connected to one another at their center by tubular rivet means and wherein said conduit means comprises flexible tubing threaded through said tubular pivot means.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said operating rod supporting and guiding means comprises a platform having dependent flanges at opposed ends thereof, said flanges having registering openings formed therein slidably supporting said operating rod, and wherein said coupling is mounted on said platform and openings are provided in one of said flanges and said platform, said tube passing through said openings.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said operating rod supporting and guiding means comprises a platform having a depending flange at each of said opposed ends thereof, said flanges having registering openings formed therethrough, said operating rod supported within said openings and having portions projecting from each of said flanges, the projection of said rod from one of said flanges supporting said pantograph, the projection of said rod from the other of said flanges having a collar secured thereto and a snubbing spring mounted thereover between said collar and the adjacent one of said flanges.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner. 

1. WINDOW-CLEANING APPARATUS OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED, COMPRISING A PANTOGRAPH FORMED OF A PLURALITY OF PAIRS OF LINKS, THE LINKS OF EACH SAID PAIR PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO ONE ANOTHER AT THE CENTER AND PIVOTALLY CONNECTED BY THEIR ENDS TO THE END OF A LINK OF ANOTHER OF SAID PAIR OF LINKS, AN OPERATING ROD, MEANS SUPPORTING AND GUIDING SAID OPERATING ROD FOR RECIPROCAL MOVEMENT, SAID ROD PROJECTING FROM EACH END OF SDAID SUPPORTING AND GUIDING MEANS, SAID PHONOGRAPH PIVOTALLY SECURED BY THE FREE END OF ONE LINK OF ONE OF THE OUTERMOST OF SAID PAIR OF LINKS TO ONE END OF SAID OPERATING ROD, THE OTHER LINK OF SAID ONE OUTERMOST PAIR OF LINKS PIVOTALLY SECURED BY ITS FREE END TO SAID OPERATING ROD SUPPORTING AND GUIDING MEANS, A SQUEEGEE, AN ARM PIVOTALLY SUPPORTING SAID SQUEEGEE ON THE FREE END OF ONE OF THE LINKS OF THE OTHER OUTERMOST PAIR OF LINKS IN A PLANE TRANSVERSE TO THE PLANE OF SAID PANTOGRAPH AND AT RIGHT ANGLES THERETO AND MEANS MAINTAINING SAID ARM AT A CONSTANT ANGLE TO THE VERTICAL UPON THE CONSTRUCTION AND EXPANSION O SAID PANTOGRAPH. 